July 06, 2014

4th of July Week End Bookend, Rye Bourbon Old Fashioned from The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson

4th of July Week-End bookend if you need one Rye Bourbon Old Fashioned from The Old-Fashioned, The Story of the World's First Classic Cocktail, with Recipes and Lore (Ten Speed Press, May 2014) by Robert Simonson...

RYE/BOURBON OLD-FASHIONED

Today’s widespread experimentation notwithstanding, when you’re talking about an authentic Old-Fashioned, the central debate is always this: rye or bourbon. In the late 1800s and early 1900s,preferences were probably fairly evenly split and depended heavily on region. In the decades afterProhibition, bourbon slowly but surely developed an edge, and rye, thought old-fashioned and somewhatdisreputable (The Lost Weekend, etc.), fell into eclipse. In recent years, rye has made a big comeback, so drinkers once again have a choice. Doctrinaire purists tend to insist on rye, thinking it the morehistorically authentic choice, but both function admirably. Simply put, bourbon will give you a mellowerand sweeter cocktail, whereas rye will deliver a bit more spice and kick. Among American whiskeys thatprovide the best value for their price—and make an outstanding Old-Fashioned—I recommend ElijahCraig 12 Year Old and Henry McKenna Single Barrel (make sure it’s the bonded) bourbons, andRittenhouse 100-Proof and Bulleit ryes. (McKenna, which can be difficult to find outside Kentucky,strikes a nice balance, spice-wise, between the Elijah Craig and Rittenhouse).

Muddle the sugar, bitters, and a barspoon of warm water at the bottom of an Old-Fashioned glass until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rye or bourbon. Stir. Add one large chunk of ice and stir until chilled.

Twist a large piece of orange zest over the drink and drop into the glass.

(* Reprinted with permission from The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson, copyright (c) 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC. Photographs (c) 2014 by Daniel Krieger)

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4th of July Week End Bookend, Rye Bourbon Old Fashioned from The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson

4th of July Week-End bookend if you need one Rye Bourbon Old Fashioned from The Old-Fashioned, The Story of the World's First Classic Cocktail, with Recipes and Lore (Ten Speed Press, May 2014) by Robert Simonson...

RYE/BOURBON OLD-FASHIONED

Today’s widespread experimentation notwithstanding, when you’re talking about an authentic Old-Fashioned, the central debate is always this: rye or bourbon. In the late 1800s and early 1900s,preferences were probably fairly evenly split and depended heavily on region. In the decades afterProhibition, bourbon slowly but surely developed an edge, and rye, thought old-fashioned and somewhatdisreputable (The Lost Weekend, etc.), fell into eclipse. In recent years, rye has made a big comeback, so drinkers once again have a choice. Doctrinaire purists tend to insist on rye, thinking it the morehistorically authentic choice, but both function admirably. Simply put, bourbon will give you a mellowerand sweeter cocktail, whereas rye will deliver a bit more spice and kick. Among American whiskeys thatprovide the best value for their price—and make an outstanding Old-Fashioned—I recommend ElijahCraig 12 Year Old and Henry McKenna Single Barrel (make sure it’s the bonded) bourbons, andRittenhouse 100-Proof and Bulleit ryes. (McKenna, which can be difficult to find outside Kentucky,strikes a nice balance, spice-wise, between the Elijah Craig and Rittenhouse).

Muddle the sugar, bitters, and a barspoon of warm water at the bottom of an Old-Fashioned glass until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rye or bourbon. Stir. Add one large chunk of ice and stir until chilled.

Twist a large piece of orange zest over the drink and drop into the glass.

(* Reprinted with permission from The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson, copyright (c) 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC. Photographs (c) 2014 by Daniel Krieger)